Pizza Express with the family used to be something to do almost on a whim, but not now. Prices there have at least doubled over the last few years
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Thanks for the recommendation for these. Bought a pack on Thursday and we've gone through them already LOL. Very tasty tomatoes ! I'm a huge fan of Aldi these days. Wish I'd switched to them years ago ... my dad still shops at Waitrose and his food bill is about a third higher than mine with no discernable improvements in quality ...
Talking of restaurant prices increasing, Italian food chain Prezzo have increased their pricing for relatively basic main dishes to a couple of pounds shy of £20, which is absolutely ridiculous seeing that it’s effectively just pasta with most likely a frozen pre-made sauce. Pizzas are slightly better but still not great value any more.
I occasionally receive discount vouchers by email but are only on awkward days.
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I have noticed olive oil seems to be a lot pricier than last year.
Seems my commodity olive oil seems to have increased as a percentage significantly more than my posh stuff. Perhaps it’s still coming.
Ocado price match Tesco.com, who price match with Asda, Aldi etc. in theory they’re all going to be the same, occasionally get a voucher back when the basket was higher, but it’s a few pence here & there.
When it’s all expensive & higher than before the matching doesn’t really bring anything to the table. Used to hate price matching when I worked as a buyer for a supermarket, total ball ache.
Yep came late to Aldi too. Always thought that the tatty looking presentation and low prices was a substitute for quality. But, couldn't be further from the truth.
The missus likes the warm glow that comes with a shinier supermarket, but I don't care as long as the quality is not sacrificed.
Does anyone have an opinion on the quality of meat and fish from Aldi/ Lidl compared to M&S/ Waitrose?
Thanks
Also groceries in the Uk are fairly reasonably priced and often times cheaper than many other comparable countries. I live in central London and my groceries are cheaper even than Tokyo with the weak Yen.
Shipping delays perhaps?
https://corleonefineitalian.com/prod...enco-olive-oil
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
It's down to climate change and the extremes of heat, drought in the Med regions, it's been so dry some trees are dying.
Oh and obviously input costs go up for olive farmers as they've do for any producer.
Last edited by Passenger; 20th May 2024 at 15:34.
I've just made a tasty chicken curry... all ingredients from Aldi. Never been disappointed with their meat products. I always shop there 😁
Depends if you consider welfare standards of chickens to be high on your list.
I only ever buy free range chicken from Aldi. I am not convinced their welfare standards in relation to red tractor stuff. Free range chicken at Aldi is a lot cheaper than Waitrose and I consider to be equal.
I will, and do buy higher welfare from Waitrose. While far from perfect, the welfare standards are better than other supermarkets, including Aldi.
Re Aldi meat vs Waitrose/M&S, the latter have a wider range and in the case of M&S isn't actually much more expensive than Aldi for the Oakham chicken. Maybe a few quid per chicken but vastly better. Fruit is significantly better at Waitrose/M&S and you can use the Monday half price fruit and veg promo by Uber at Waitrose/M&S making it cheaper than Aldi!
Waitrose meat I've never really rated. For best quality stuff butchers and fishmongers are my choice.
I have heard that where Aldi really punches on the price/quality ratio is with some of its wines.
Aldi is absolutely fine on veg. M&S usually a cut above all of them but it could be due to smaller volumes allowing for better quality
Aldi's British lamb is fine when they have some but often from NZ, which we never buy out of principle. My experience with their beef was not an overwhelming success, mostly lacking flavour.
Tesco's Finest is usually fine for sirloin/ribeye/rump steak, tastier (better matured?) than Waitrose.
We hardly buy whole chickens nowadays, it's always a guinea fowl from Ocado/Waitrose: much tastier. But we do buy chicken thighs (with or without bones) for currys, BBQ (marinated or rubbed), and such like.
Tesco's Finest Pork roast is usually excellent. We just tried M&S' "Tomapork" (pork tomahawk) and it was superb.
We have a village butcher but unfortunately he is nowhere near the standards of the above
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
Always a shame when a local butcher is just not quality enough, I know supermarkets got a bad rep for killing off butchers, but there were a large number of butchers too that just offered poor quality meats, many just buying from a wholesaler, no love for the quality etc.
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Not sure about that. When I left UK in 2019/20 average weekly shop headed toward 100 pounds. Now in Portugal spend maybe 50€ a week. Maybe something to do with decent wine costing 2,50€ a bottle. Though we don’t drink loads. What I do like is fresh produce is mostly local or from nearby countries.
Tend not to buy ready meals though.
“ Ford... you're turning into a penguin. Stop it.” HHGTTG
Last edited by hogthrob; 21st May 2024 at 02:41.
Well done.
The only way things will change is when customers make the choice to change their spending habits and buy higher welfare meat. Otherwise it is a race to the bottom in terms of animal welfare.
Chicken should not be seen as a cheap meat, but so often is these days. Same applies to other meat too.
What I find really frustrating is that higher welfare standards have now so often become a supermarket ruse to charge customers more with clever branding and labelling, but the welfare standards of the actual meat being sold remains rather poor. It is positive that things are (in some areas) improving, but there is a very long way to go and it will only ever change when people start buying higher welfare meat - ideally from a local source. Obviously that chnage isn't made any easier by the current high cost of food generally.
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
We used to eat out every weekend, my 6yo loves Chinese food, but I'd say it's once a month now at the most. The cost is just ridiculous.
I make pizza every weekend so that feels like a take-away, and the cost of that is still reasonable. I'll soon be in profit after the outlay of the oven and dough mixer!
I had to nip to the local hot food deli yesterday as I had forgotten my lunch, and 4x small chicken gougons and portion of potato wedges was almost £8!! I nearly died!
Another vote for Aldi here. Their steak and wines are (if chosen well) exceptional for the price.
Lunch is becoming a bit of a joke.
The independent sandwich shops and roach coaches dotted about central London are charging £8, 9, 10 for their lunch options.
If you don't want to spend that it's a sloppy Tesco meal deal, which is cheap but a bit dull
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Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
£5.95 for a delicious coronation chicken sandwich on artisan baguette in 'Paul' bakery in the City (of London) today.
Paul is a step up from Pret, so not too shabby.
The crisps and drink did take it over £9 though.
So many people need to be ‘seen’ - drinking a cup of Starbucks/costa while walking to the office.
They think it makes them appear busy and important - so have to drink on the move.
As mentioned - a bought lunch can be a bit expensive when regular.
£4.65 for a lunch at last client’s offices in Aberdeen. Good nosebag too!
I remember when in my last job I worked out of the Milan office what you could get for 10 Euros was worlds apart from what you get in London. The Italians also had their lunch subsidised to the tune of 8 euros a day so it cost them about £1.50 net for a proper meal.
I popped into our local Coop yesterday and was amazed at just how empty the fruit and veg section was - at least three quarters of the shelves were empty. And not for the first time.
I'm seeing similar in Tesco and other supermarkets too.
So clever my foot fell off.
During the week many restaurants, cafes here offer a 3 course meal, sometimes a choice of starter, main, desert, may/may not include a drink, wine, beer or soft for around 12 to 14 euros. Eat like that 5 days a week if you're not labouring in some sense, I'd be a blimp....we usually go out for one most weeks now, more frequently in the early days...then skip tea/ dinner or just make do with a sarnie, leftovers. Last weekend there was a book sale and a couple of other stalls in the square by the church, mrs P was on the stand, there was also a giant paella, 5 euros for a generous plate with a hunk of good bread...visitor numbers were low, so the diners were invited to another helping on the house, bless her she brought me another whole portion home, lovely bit of bread!
As an eating enthusiast I feel lucky to live here.
Obvs we're in the boonies here not Madrid in fairness.
Last edited by Passenger; 23rd May 2024 at 13:44.